Credit Card Carrying Pack for Rolling Papers

ABSTRACT

A container for holding cigarette rolling papers is provided comprising a card having front and rear surfaces; and a rear panel fastened to the rear surface to define a cavity adapted to contain a plurality of cigarette rolling papers. Preferably, the card is approximately the same shape and size as a standard credit card and constructed from a plastic material. A ridge or other obstruction is included above the rear panel adapted to retain the rolling papers while inside the cavity. The card may further comprise a USB flash drive or portable media player flexibly attached to the front surface of the card.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to protective containers for storing,protecting, and carrying rolling papers in a wallet, thereby preventingthe rolling papers from being bent or crushed when carried in a purse orpocket of a smoker.

II. Background and Prior Art

The use of smoking accessories including holders, containers, andpackages of known designs and configurations for rolling papers is knownin the prior art. More specifically, smoking accessories includingcarrying packs of known designs and configurations for rolling papersheretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of carrying ortransporting personal smoking papers in convenient packaging systems areknown to consist of familiar structural configurations, such as paperboxes, plastic boxes, and foil wrappers.

While prior devices fulfill their respective particular objectives andrequirements, the prior art does not describe an ultra-portable rollingpaper container that allows convenient carrying of cigarette rollingpapers while also preventing them from being bent or crushed. The priorart containers may allow the papers to become bent and frayed whencarried in a pocket or purse, or are undesirably bulky and uncomfortablewhen placed in a pocket. In this respect, the rolling paper containeraccording to the present invention substantially departs from theconventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing soprovides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose ofconveniently carrying cigarette rolling papers in a credit card-likecontainer that can be placed in a wallet for use by a smoker.

Credit cards are typically issued by a bank or business and authorizethe holder to buy goods or services on credit. Commonly recognizedcredit cards include Visa®, MasterCard® and American Express®. Ingeneral, credit cards are a standard size and fit into wallet slots thatare designed to hold them. The present invention provides a containerthat is approximately the same size as a standard credit card. Thisallows the container of the present invention to fit into a standardwallet slot thereby preventing the rolling papers from being crushed orbent when placed into a pocket or purse. Another feature of the presentinvention is that the credit card-like panel can be comprised of anycredit card sized electronic device, for example a USB flash drive or adevice that plays portable electronic sound of video files.

Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need fora new and improved rolling paper container that can be used forconveniently carrying rolling papers for use by a smoker whilepreventing them from being crushed or bent. In this regard, the presentinvention substantially fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide aprotective container for rolling papers.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portablecarrying container for rolling papers.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portablecontainer that retains rolling papers while allowing them to be easilyand individually dispensed.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container forrolling papers that fits into the credit card slot of a wallet.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container forrolling papers in combination with a portable electronic device.

Accordingly, a container for holding cigarette rolling papers isprovided comprising a card having front and rear surfaces; and a rearpanel fastened to the rear surface to define a cavity adapted to containa plurality of cigarette rolling papers. Preferably, the card isapproximately the same shape and size as a standard credit card andconstructed from a plastic material. A ridge or other obstruction isincluded above the rear panel adapted to retain the rolling papers whileinside the cavity. The card may further comprise a USB flash drive orportable media player flexibly attached to the front surface of thecard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of a card-like container for rolling papers.

FIG. 2 depicts a rear view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts an alternate embodiment of the present inventionillustrating a rectangular card-like front panel having a USB flashdrive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turning now to FIG. 1, a front view of the credit card carryingcontainer 1 is shown. The container 1 is composed of a flexible plasticcard 2 resembling a credit card. In one embodiment, the container 1 hasa front surface 19 and a rear surface 6 (shown in FIG. 2). Although thedimensions of the container 1 are not critical, the size of container 1should be approximately the size of a standard credit card or debitcard. Other indicia may be included on the front or rear surfaces 19, 6,including but not limited to company name, promotional information, orother advertising material.

In FIG. 2 a rear view of the container 1 is shown. In a preferredembodiment, the rear surface 6 of the container 1 includes a raisedridge 8, or possibly a plurality of individual raised areas, along thetop edge 9, whose thickness is intended to abut or be adjacent to thetop edge 13 of rolling papers 14. A rear panel 10 is fastened to therear surface 6 on three sides, such that an open side is defined byupper edge 11 of rear panel 10. Thus, a cavity is formed which maycontain a plurality of unfolded rolling papers 14. When rolling papers14 are held between rear panel 10 and rear surface 6, the ridge 8 is inclose proximity or abuts the top edges 13 of rolling papers 14, helpingto prevent their inadvertent displacement from the container 1 andthereby preventing undesirable crumpling of the rolling papers 14.Preferably, the rear panel 10 of the container 1 has a semicircularcutout 5 on the top edge 11 for pushing the individual rolling papers 14with the thumb or other finger to remove them from the container 1. Asthe rolling paper 14 is pushed upward, its upper edge 13 is caused tocontact the ridge 8 and rest above it, becoming easily accessible toremove by pulling it from the container 1.

In FIG. 3, a perspective view of the container 1 is shown. The depth 16of the container 1 allows it to hold approximately 20 rolling papers 14.In alternate embodiments, the depth 16 of the container 1 may be alteredin order to hold fewer or more rolling papers 14.

FIG. 4 depicts the container 1 as described above, but with the additionof a USB flash drive 17. The USB flash drive 17 fits securely into anindentation 18 in the front surface 19 of the container 1 when not inuse. The drive 17 is attached to the front surface 19 by a flexible base20, and is shown in an ejected position for use. Thus, rolling papers 14may be carried securely inside the container 1 with the convenience of aflash drive 17.

As can be seen for the foregoing description of the preferred andalternate embodiments, the present invention is intended to provide aprotective storage and carrying case for rolling papers. In oneembodiment, the storage and carrying case is fabricated from plastic andresembles a credit card. In alternate embodiments, the credit card-likefront panel can be comprised of credit card sized electronic devices,such as a flash USB (Universal Serial Bus) drive or a portable mediaplayer. Although the primary market for the product is for portablecarrying containers for smoking materials, similar containers can bedeveloped for various other products. Although exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention have been shown and described, many changes,modifications, and substitutions may be made by one having ordinaryskill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A container for holding cigarette rolling papers comprising: a cardhaving front and rear surfaces; and a rear panel fastened to said rearsurface to define a cavity adapted to contain a plurality of cigaretterolling papers.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein said container hasapproximately the same shape and size as a standard credit card.
 3. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the container is constructed from aplastic material.
 4. The container of claim 1, wherein said cardincludes a ridge above said rear panel adapted to retain said rollingpapers.
 5. The container of claim 1, further comprising a USB flashdrive flexibly attached to said front surface of said card.
 6. Thecontainer of claim 1, further comprising a portable media playerflexibly attached to said front surface of said card.